The Nissan vehicles at our Electric Car Day were the Leaf Tekna electric car and the e-NV200 electric van. We’ve sold lots of Leafs but it was nice to see the more unusual e-NV200 ‘in the flesh’; we can supply these too so don’t hesitate to ask us if you want to know more.
Below is a quick video of the e-NV200 taken during the event.
Our thanks to Darren and Chris from Glyn Hopkin for bringing the Nissan vehicles.
As recently as five years ago the prospect of our roads being filled by electric cars seemed unlikely. Although the technology had accelerated dramatically in the previous five years, there were still so many obstacles to overcome, not least of which were the vehicle’s limited run time and the non-existent infrastructure necessary to accommodate them (no charging points).
Nay-sayers still look askance at the electric car even now, but with London sales rocketing up 85% this year, it’s hard to deny that it is beginning to come into ascendance.
In cars as in practically every other part of life, London can be easily dismissed as being in its own reality-free bubble. Journeys in England’s south-east are typically shorter than elsewhere in the UK, and because it’s home to most of the ‘people who matter’ for at least half of the year, developments happen at a far speedier pace – the likelihood of finding an electric vehicle charging point in London is, one would imagine, far higher than in rural Shropshire or the Scottish highlands. However, it would be wrong to reject these figures out of hand; with more than 10,000 electric vehicles now owned across the UK, this is more than just a Capital-based blip. So why are electric cars gaining such popularity, and are they worth it?
Firstly, it’s important to know that there are two types of electric powered car. The most common runs on a battery which needs to be charged before use. Less common is the hydrogen fuel-cell battery powered car, which uses the engine’s motion to fuse hydrogen with oxygen to create electricity: clever but expensive and therefore currently less popular – although that may change as prices stabilise.
Regardless of the type of battery it uses, there are three key reasons why it makes sense to go electric:
Costing as little as 2p per mile to charge, the electric vehicle is extremely economical to run. And because their inner workings are a lot less complicated than a traditional combustion engine, electric cars are cheaper to maintain; it’s estimated that the Nissan Leaf costs a meagre £11 per month, versus £30p/m for the Ford Focus.
Air pollution is increasingly appearing on the international agenda, with a recent report stating that more than 40,000 early deaths per year are linked to the problem in the UK alone. Electric cars produce no emissions, so driving one is no worse for the environment than walking.
Add to that, in purchasing an electric vehicle you’re purchasing cutting edge tech and that applies as much to the driver interface as it does to the internal mechanisms. In short, if you want the bells and whistles you’ll find them in electric cars.
There’s no arguing with the fact that even though electric cars can travel far further than they ever could before, they still come with the niggling concern of ‘what if I run out of power?’ No one wants to be stuck on a country lane with no way of powering their vehicle.
Going green has always come with government subsidies, but even still electric vehicles do still require a higher than average initial outlay and this can present a major deterrent.
Whether an electric car is worth the investment is entirely down to individual perspectives. As independent vehicle supply professionals, at OSV we’ve watched the development of electric with close interest. The environmental credentials are deeply appealing, and with the global issue of diminishing oil supplies producing very real concerns for the future, in our view green could be the way to go.
Read more: Huffington Post
Here I am at the London Motor Show looking to extend our reach and be able to offer all quality electric cars.
Disappointed not to see Elon here but had a great chat with Joan from the Chiswick Tesla office. No update yet on the model 3 release.
Big showing from BMW with electric i3 and i8 centre stage. Asked about the all electric Mini but nothing official yet.
I simply wish there were more electric cars here. However I do know the tide is turning. Every dealer I speak to is conscious of the demand and expecting it to grow.
Enjoying a rest in the Tesla Model X
As the inaugural winner of the 2017 World Urban Car award at the New York International Auto Show, the new BMW i3 (94 Ah) is getting a well deserved nod of attention.
The i3 is a blast to drive, subcompact (allowing for much easier urban parking and maneuvering), elegant, clean, and widely available. In a world of growing city fees or bans for dirty vehicles, it’s apropos that an electric vehicle win the inaugural World Urban Car award.
“This award highlights BMW Group’s commitment to sustainable mobility through BMW’s first all-electric vehicle made primarily of carbon fiber,”
Ludwig Willisch, Head of BMW Group Region Americas, said.
“The design brief for the BMW i3 was to create a Mega City Vehicle for the cities of the future. Today, the new 2017 BMW i3 (94 Ah) provides more range paired with a high level of dynamic performance, making it the perfect urban vehicle for people around the world.”
I tell everyone I know who shares a shred of interest in electric cars to test drive a BMW i3. There is no experience that compares. The car is cool and inspiringly unique. A press release from the BMW Group about the win and the winning car notes:
“Launched in 2014, the born electric BMW i3 represents a new era of electro mobility offering a visionary design, a ground-breaking vehicle architecture, dynamic performance and innovative connectivity. No other car represents such a holistic approach to sustainability throughout the value chain.”
Read more: Clean Technica
“It took driving 300 miles to fall in love with the Tesla Model X,I was a bit sniffy at first but this is a genuinely amazing machine.And you can turn off the auto front door systems.. which I learned when I handed the car back to Tesla”